Ski carrier



Aug. 23, 1966 BASTON ETAL 3,268,134

SKI CARRIER Filed March 16, 1966 FIGI ' FIGZ IO l6 4 24 INVENTORS PRESCOTT w. BASTON ARTHUR BENGE GLEASON ATTORNEYS United States PatentO 3,268,134 SKI CARRIER Prescott W. Baston, 1 Lookout Court, and Arthur Benge Gleason, 38 Stony Brook Road, both of Marblehead,

Mass.

Filed Mar. 16, 1965, Ser. No. 440,165 6 Claims. (Cl. 224-55) The present invention relates to ski carriers. More particularly, our invention relates to a device by which a person may convenient carry in one hand his skis and poles in a single package.

In transporting skis from one place to another, it is often desirable to carry the skis and ski poles fastened together in some way to form a single package. Heretofore it has generally been the practice to fasten the skis together by means of straps around the skis near the ends thereof. These straps, being near the ends of the skis, are 'not in the proper location for convenient inclusion of the ski poles within the straps. Furthermore, the skis when so secured still lack any suitable handle or other carrying means so the skier customarily carries the skis over his shoulder, with consequent risk of inadvertently hitting other persons both ahead and behind him. More recently, other types of securing devices have been proposed for assembling skis and poles into a package, but these devices, used in pairs at spaced locations on the skis, are relatively rigid and bulky and are therefore inconveniently carried when skiing.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide an improved ski carrier which will securely hold a pair of skis and poles for hand-carrying like a bag or suitcase, yet is of lightweight flexible construction so that it may readily be folded and carried by the skier while skiing.

As a feature of the invention, the ski carrying device comprises a relatively wide band or belt of stretchable material adapted to be wrapped twice around a pair of skis and poles centrally of the skis in the region of the toe pieces or harness, the belt having apertures disposed to register with the customary toe pieces for positive retention of the band in snugly-wrapped condition around the skis.

The several features of our invention will be apparent in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of our ski carrying device, shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ski carrier according to our invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the initial'step in the wrapping of the ski carrier around a pair of skis and poles;

FIG. 3 shows the ski carrier at a later stage in the wrapping around the skis and poles;

FIG. 4 shows the ski carrier secured in final position around the skis and poles; and

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the skis, poles, and ski carrier taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4 and showing the carrier secured in carrying position.

Before describing in detail the ski carrier of our invention, it may be pointed out that it is constructed and arranged to secure the skis in the region of the bindings or harness, and in fact to utilize the bindings or portions thereof as anchoring means by which the carrier may be assembled with the skis to form a secure package that is in longitudinal balance for ease in carrying. More particularly, the carrier makes use of the toe pieces which, with suitable heel-engaging means, comprise the safety bindings or harness with which skis are now almost universally equipped. While toe pieces vary greatly in details of the release mechanism, they generally involve a compact block-like structure or protuberance mounted r 3,268,134 Patented August 23, 1966 on the center-line of the skis at approximately the longitudinal mid point, usually close to the center of gravity of the ski. This is also the region where the skis, when held lightly together with their bottoms in contact at the rear ends and at the base of the upturn, have a separation of an inch or two by reason of the camber.

In accordance with the foregoing, the ski carrier comprises a band 10 of flexible and preferably stretchable material such as rubber or a rubber-like composition. The band has a length such as to permit its being wrapped, in effect, practically two full turns around the skis in the region of the bindings.

Along the longitudinal center line of the band are disposed spaced aperture 12, of a size to fit over the toe pieces 14 so that the toe pieces may project through the apertures in the band as the wrapping proceeds. While the apertures 12 are shown as circular, other configurations may be employed as a matter of choice.

These apertures in the band are spaced a distance such that as the wrapping proceeds, successive apertures fit over the toe pieces 14, first on one ski and then on the other ski, providing the band is slightly stretched as it is Wound around the skis. In consequence, the tension developed in the band will generally draw the skis together out of their normal cambered or slightly-arched condition into flattened condition. As a result, the skis are securely held against one another in firm frictional engagement throughout their length, without requiring supplemental small straps at one or both ends of the skis, though such straps may be employed if desired.

At the ends of the band 10, handles 16 are provided which may be in the form of loops of cord or small rope which may be combined with the band during its fabrication by folding over and securing flaps 18 to the body of the band. Alternatively, the loops may be formed by molding handles of similar or other suitable configuration within the material of the band itself.

FIG. 2 illustrates the first step in the operation of wrapping the band around the skis 18 and poles 20. The skis are held with their bottom faces together and the poles laid alongside the skis'with the baskets or rings of the poles hooked over the tips of the skis in customary fashion. The band is then hooked over the toe piece 14 of the near ski, using the first aperture in the band. On pulling the band around onto the ski on the far side, the second aperture hooks over the toe piece of the second ski.

The free end of the band is now passed through the loop or handle '16 at the secured end of the band, as-a preliminary to starting the next turn around the skis. For this purpose, the handles, or at least one of them, should be of a size or configuration to permit one end of the band readily to be passed through the loop or hand grip at the anchored end, as shown in FIGURE 3. This view also shows the position of the skis and band after the band has been sufliciently stretched to register the third aperture with the toe piece 14 and thereby again anchor the band on the toe piece over which the band was first anchored at the outset.

Upon completing a further half-turn of the band with the band appropriately stretched, the fourth aperture may be caused to register with the toe piece of the second ski, the one on the far side as viewed in FIG. 3. This will result in bringing the handles into upstanding adjacent relation at the sides of the skis, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. This position of the handles permits the skis to be carried conveniently by one hand in a horizontal position as they balance at this point of support over the toe pieces.

While the skis are held securely by the band in view of successive anchoring of the apertures over the toe 3 pieces, additional securing means may be provided, if desired, in the form of a disconnectible connection between the final turn of the band and the turn beneath. Such connection may consist of a tab 24 projecting from one end of the band, having a small aperture 26' which may fit over an oblique projection or button 28 molded in the body of the band adjacent its center. Upon the completion of the wrapping, the tab may be pulled over the button to form a connection that holds the free end of the band securely against the turn beneath, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

While the ski carrier has been shown and described as being employed to form a package containing both skis and poles, it is not essential that the poles be included, as the resilience of the band insures that a pair of skis alone will be firmly held by the encircling band.

, Our invention thus involves a ski carrier wherein a single band of flexible and stretchable material is provided with apertures so that the band may readily be wrapped around a pair of skis .and poles by fitting a first aperture over a toe piece to anchor it, and then wrapping the band around the skis so that the second, third and fourth apertures fit over the toe pieces on alternate sides of the skis. The moderate amount of stretching of the band results in pulling the skis together and at the same time automatically retaining the band in the manner of buckling a strap.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in terms of a particular and presently preferred embodiment, it will be obvious that the invention may be embodied in other configurations and arrangements and such modifications are to be considered as contemplated by the invention, within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their bottoms together, comprising a band of stretchable resilient material adapted to be wrapped twice around the skis centrally thereof in the region of the toe pieces thereon, said band having apertures spaced lengthwise along the band, the apertures having a size to fit over the toe pieces and longitudinally spaced to receive the toe pieces when the band is wrapped in stretched condition around ,the skis, and handle means for carrying the skis by said .band.

2. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their bottoms together, comprising a band of resilient material having aplurality of apertures spaced lengthwise pieces through the wrapped band, the band having loops at its ends for carrying the skis by said band.

3. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their .bottoms together, comprising an elongated flexible band of stretchable resilient material having a plurality of apertures spaced lengthwise of the band, the band having .a length to wrap twice around the skis in the region of the toe pieces thereon, the apertures in the band being spaced to receive the toe pieces through the wrapped band, the band having loops at its ends for carrying the skis by said band, at least one of the loops having a size for passage of the band therethrough on completion of the first turn of the wrapping.

4. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their bottoms together, comprising an elongated flexible band of stretchable resilient material having a plurality of apertures spaced lengthwise of the band, the band having a length to wrap twice around the skis in the region of the toe pieces thereon, the apertures in the band being spaced to receive the toe pieces through the wrapped band, the band having handle means for carrying the skis by said band, and disconnectible means for securing the final turn of the band in wrapped tensioned condition.

5. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their bottoms together, comprising an elongated band of stretchable resilient material having four generally circular apertures spaced lengthwise of the band, the band having a length to wrap twice around the skis in the region of the toe pieces thereon, the apertures being spaced to receive the toe pieces through successive apertures when the band is Wrapped in tensioned condition around the skis, the band having handle means at the ends thereof for carrying the secured skis by the band.

6. A ski carrier for securing a pair of skis with their bottoms together, comprising an elongated band of stretchable resilient material having four generally circular apertures spaced lengthwise of the band, the band having alength to wrap twice around the skis in the region of the toe pieces thereon, the apertures being spaced to receive the toe pieces through successive apertures when the band is wrapped in tensioned condition around the skis, the band having handle means at the ends thereof for carrying the secured skis by the band, and disconnectible means for securing the final turns of the band to an intermediate portion of the band in wrapped tensioned condition.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,611,455 12/1926- Keeler 224 2,530,695 11/1950 Helmert 224-5 3,167,344 1/1965 Applegarth 294- 74 3,211,489 10/1965 Gill 294 74 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

'J. OLDS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SKI CARRIER FOR SECURING A PAIR OF SKIS WITH THEIR BOTTOMS TOGETHER, COMPRISING A BAND OF STRETCHABLE RESILIENT MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE WRAPPED TWICE AROUND THE SKIS CENTRALLY THEREOF IN THE REGION OF THE TOE PIECES THEREON, SAID BAND HAVING APERTURES SPACED LENGTHWISE ALONG THE BAND, THE APERTURES HAVING A SIZE TO FIT OVER THE TOE PIECES AND LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TO RECEIVE THE TOE PIECES WHEN THE BAND IS WRAPPED IN STRETCHED CONDITION AROUND THE SKIS, AND HANDLE MEANS FOR CARRYING THE SKIS BY SAID BAND. 